For a pioneering study, scientists have captured in real time the brain’s activity during everyday movements. The technology could one day be used to diagnose diseases like Parkinson's before symptoms appear.
Millions worldwide grapple with the physical and cognitive challenges of Parkinson's disease. Its early detection could pave the way towards treatments that significantly slow its progression and improve the quality of many lives. But how can we predict something we still do not fully understand?
Until now, scientists could only study brain activity by getting people to lie still inside MRI or PET imaging machines.
However, these methods barely scratch the surface of understanding how the brain works in everyday life.
Even in the simplest daily tasks, our brain and body must work together in close coordination. Take a trip to the supermarket, for example – you need spatial orientation, memory, and balance to plan, navigate the aisles and complete your shopping.
While these activities are effortless for young, healthy individuals, they become more challenging as we age or develop diseases.
Mobile brain/body imaging (MoBI) technology could now help explain why.
By combining mobile electroencephalography (EEG) with motion capture, the technology explores how movement and thinking interact in everyday situations.
MoBI records brain electrical activity alongside the firing patterns of muscle groups, while a 3D avatar replicates the exact movements of the body in real time. Scientists can then link sensory, cognitive, and motor events to specific brain responses.
When used on individuals with specific diseases, this technology unlocks exciting clinical applications. Preliminary results have already uncovered striking differences in the brain activity patterns of healthy individuals and those with early-stage Parkinson's.
Efforts are underway to bring MoBI technology out of the lab into everyday use for personalised early diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases.
Since 2021, the Slovenian Mobile Brain/Body Imaging Laboratory has been working to reach this goal. As a central hub for MoBI research, the centre promotes knowledge transfer across partner countries and beyond.